Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Nov 21, 2025 / 18:30 pm
The University of Notre Dame has reinstated “Catholic Mission” among its staff values after it opted to drop the language in an effort to reprogram the school’s Catholic identity as overarching.
In a Nov. 21 staff announcement, Notre Dame President Robert A. Dowd, CSC, said commitment to the school’s Catholic mission was referenced in the preamble to the new four staff values announced at a town hall meeting last week “as a way to show its overarching importance.”
“Thanks to some constructive feedback we received, we now realize that placement is causing confusion and that some could interpret that not as elevating our mission as we intended but as a sign of diminishing commitment,” he said. “To avoid any further confusion, we have now included the language on Catholic mission as the first of our five core values.”
“Catholic Mission” is now listed first in the university’s staff values, with the description: “Be a force for good and help to advance Notre Dame’s mission to be the leading global Catholic research university.”
Dowd emphasized that the school’s Catholic mission “guides and informs all that we do and how we work together,” adding: “Our Catholic mission has animated our common work from the university’s founding, and it will always be our guiding force.”
“I could not be more grateful for the many ways you embody the very best of Notre Dame,” he concluded, addressing Notre Dame staff. “As I have said on many occasions, you inspire me with your generosity, kindness, and dedication to Our Lady’s university.”
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I am heartened to see that the University of Notre Dame has returned to the Catholic faith. But statements about “mission” are necessary but not sufficient. I’d repeat my original challenge: Explain in specific terms how ND qualifies as a “Catholic” institution distinct from any of it secular football rivals.
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Quick bit of dancing about to explain an egregious error. The Church is the fount that should be the inspiration for every Catholic university in the world. The Church’s mission is, and should be, each university’s mission. How many times have Catholic universities wandered far from this mission? Too often has the word Catholic stuck in my craw when saying the names of some of these wayward universities. The distance between Catholic principles and manner in which they operate is just too far to stomach. The leadership f Notre Dame showed their true colors and the explanation provided does not change this reality.
Pathetic, repulsive and meaningless.
Demonstrating all of the Christian conviction of a gay pride parade inside St. Peter’s in Rome.
But “meh,” right? As the t-shirts of the diabolically-dedicated guests of the Pontiff Leo declared in the very house of God: “F*ck the Rules.”
Recalling to mind a judgement by the Man haunting their afterthoughts: “White-washed sepulchers full of dead men’s bones.”
You said that in very poor taste. Remember who you are
Chris: Rejoice, even if baby steps in the right direction! 😇
Guessing every institution will experience their “Cracker Barrel” adventurism to be inclusive (or overarching).
Nice, but how about ND’s Gender Studies Program? If they want to be serious about their Catholic mission, the University needs to stop supporting “abortion care” and “trans care” through this program, which has tentacles reaching into numerous academic departments.
And two days ago, ND campus ministry joined in observing a “transgender day of remembrance.” Someone needs to educate these poor people in the wisdom of Catholic anthropology. It’s sad and alarming to see them falling into the weird ignorance of transgender ideology.
Clearly there are people in the ND community in need of real spiritual support and psychological intervention. Unfortunately, ND lacks the wisdom and courage to deliver either.
Agreed. Pray and fights for her! https://sycamoretrust.org/
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Well, alright. John 16:23
You can’t unring the bell…particularly when it has been playing loud for a least the past fifty years. We are regarded as naive groundlings.
I’ll take ND a bit more seriously when they repent for giving B. Hussein Obama an honorary degree.
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Translation: The blowback from this was female canine, and the Holy Cross order has no intentions of being Bud Lighted or Crackerbarelled.
Unfortunately, it will be nothing more than a statement on a website or brochure (if they still have them) and devoid of any substance, a recruiting slogan, not a program of conviction.
Least there not be any confusion, as confusion is not of The Holy Ghost, I decided to do a little search to find the initial mission statement of The University of Norte Dame which, in this case included the source of the A.I. response which is necessary to know when determining the authenticity of data being processed:
Father Sorin on Catholic Education exists for The Salvation of Souls
Thinking
Searching









Yes, Father Edward Sorin, the founder of the University of Notre Dame, fundamentally believed that the ultimate purpose of Catholic education was the salvation of souls.
While he also envisioned Notre Dame as a “most powerful means for good” in society, sources indicate that this broader goal was inextricably linked to preparing students for both their temporal lives and, more importantly, their eternal lives.
Key aspects of his belief include:
• Apostolic Zeal: Sorin shared the “burning desire to make God known, loved, and served, and thus save souls” of the Congregation of Holy Cross founder, Blessed Basil Moreau.
• Formation of the Whole Person: He held that Catholic education was not only about training minds but also about forming character and shaping souls.
• Ultimate End: Sorin understood that all good works performed through the university were ultimately aimed at helping students secure their salvation.
• Missionary Vocation: His decision to leave France and establish the university in the United States was rooted in a deep sense of a missionary calling to “save souls in the new world”.
For more information, the Congregation of Holy Cross website provides details on Father Sorin’s history and spirituality, and the University of Notre Dame’s history page discusses his vision for the institution.
“Fr. Sorin also shared Moreau’s apostolic zeal, his “burning desire to make God known, loved, and served, and thus save souls.” While serving as the first president of the University of Notre Dame, he also oversaw the mission of Holy Cross in the United States and its establishment of new foundations across the country, including what would become St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas.”
Father Edward Sorin, C.S.C. | Congregation of Holy Cross
“Love Thee Norte Dame.”
Define “poor taste”.
Good. Never should have happened in the first place. The president has a lot of work to do there. Does he have the purity of thought and action to lead them?
A simple ‘whoops’ should suffice.
CINO yesterday, CINO today, CINO tomorrow – having the play ‘The Vagina Monologues’ open at Washington Hall on Ash Wednesday speaks louder than anything they can say today.
The only authentic things Catholic about Notre Dame University I can detect are the “Hail Mary passes” they throw at their major industry – football.
“We” concur with your reinstatement.
More importantly, “Keep the Faith!”
I seem to recall big news stories over the years when speakers not up to Catholic standards were selected as graduation speakers, or for awards. That sort of thing is an attack on Catholic values and should not happen at a university that claims to be Catholic.
I suspect a few Catholic ND donors of the large numbers type caught his ear and had a word, hence the turn-around.